Incidentally, all the aliens are collectively known as Amanto, although there are many factions and races. Many of the main trio’s misadventures stem from requests and tasks they receive from their clients. These three are the primary members of Yorozuya, an odd-jobs/ errands-running organization. We also meet Kagura’s cute pet/ mascot/ mount, the giant alien dog Sadaharu. Gintama Names to KnowĪt the very beginning of the series, we get a quick introduction of the main characters: the samurai Gintoki straight man Shinpachi and cute alien girl Kagura. Shirogane no Tamashii-hen, season 10, 26 episodes, 2018Īdd it up, and you get 367 episodes. This was followed by multiple sequel series, primarily Gintama’, Gintama°, and Gintama., unusually titled with a tiny apostrophe, circle, or period attached to the end.įor simplicity’s sake, we’ll refer to Gintama as one series with multiple seasons, since everybody else does. The manga features 704 chapters in 77 volumes.

It ran from 2003 to 2019, mostly in Weekly Shonen Jump, but also in Jump GIGA, and finally online at its own Gintama app. The series began with a manga by Hideaki Sorachi and published by Jump Comics. Gintama has appeared in manga, TV anime, OVA, movie, and even light novel format. But where should a newcomer begin with Gintama? Keep reading. Other anime series are parodied frequently, and they break the fourth wall a lot. And by combining genres, Gintama can make fun of both modern Japanese society and the transition to the Meiji Era ( a very popular topic in Japanese pop culture). What if the introduction of alien culture lifted Japan’s technological level up to a modern level, rather than a Victorian one? As it turns out, this anachronism makes for great comedy. Just imagine that the 1853 arrival of Commodore Perry’s ‘Black Ships’ in Edo Bay was literally a space alien invasion (rather than the figurative ‘invasion’ metaphor that history narratives like to use). Gintama is an alternate history/ comedy/ adventure anime and manga series with a clever and unique premise.

Gintama season 1 episode highlights